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A♭ minor add 9 chord on bass (A♭madd9)
Also called or written A♭madd9, A♭m add9, A♭ or A♭ minor Add 9th
A♭ minor add 9 is built from A♭, C♭, E♭, and B♭. This advanced bass voicing places the 9th in the bass, requiring a wide stretch across four frets.
A♭m add9/B♭ inversionfrom fret 4
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9
- Root positionA♭–C♭–E♭–B♭A♭madd9no shape on this instrument
- First inversionC♭–E♭–B♭–A♭A♭madd9/C♭no shape on this instrument
- Second inversionE♭–B♭–A♭–C♭A♭madd9/E♭no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionB♭–A♭–C♭–E♭A♭madd9/B♭6-6-6-4
How do you play an A♭ minor add 9 chord on bass?
A♭ minor add 9 is played at the 4th fret as 6 6 6 4: middle finger on the E string at fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 6, pinky finger on the D string at fret 6 and index finger on the G string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (2) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 4 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 4 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe hardest part is stretching the index finger back to fret 4 while the other fingers hold fret 6.
Why it sounds like that
A♭ minor add 9 stacks a minor 3rd, perfect 5th, and major 2nd above the root. The added 9th softens the minor quality compared to A♭ minor, which omits the B♭.
What goes wrong with A♭ minor add 9?
- Letting the index finger collapse and buzz the G string at fret 4.
- Allowing the pinky to drift sharp and fret the D string at fret 7.
- Muting the A string with the ring finger while reaching for the D string.
Changing to and from A♭ minor add 9
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 4th fret gives F♯ minor add 9.
- From A♭ minor add 9, move the index finger up one fret to play A minor add 9.
Which voicing to use
The default voicing places the 9th, B♭, in the bass, creating a suspended, unresolved feel. Use this inversion when you want the bass to lead with tension before resolving to A♭ minor.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ minor add 9 written?
A♭ minor add 9 is written as A♭m add9 or A♭ minor add 9. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ minor add 9 and A♭ minor 9th?
A♭ minor add 9 contains the 9th but no 7th. A♭ minor 9th includes the ♭7, giving it a more dissonant, jazzy sound.
Can A♭ minor add 9 be played in a lower register?
Yes, but the stretch becomes wider. The same voicing can be played an octave lower by shifting all frets down 12, though the bass may sound muddy.